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@article{206028,
        author = {Ashwini Kumar},
        title = {Endogamous Marriage and Caste Power: A Qualitative Study of Family, Caste-Group and Khap Panchayat Opposition to Inter-Caste Marriage},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {13},
        number = {2},
        pages = {56-74},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=206028},
        abstract = {Drawing on incidents of opposition to inter-caste marriage reported in Indian newspapers, judicial decisions, government sources and theoretical literature, this article examines how endogamous marriage reproduces Brahmanical-Manuvadi caste power. Its central argument is that caste survives not only in public life, occupational structures, religious identity and political representation, but is remade across generations through marriage, kinship, descent, honour and ideas of purity. Inter-caste marriage is therefore more than a marital decision between two individuals. It challenges caste boundaries, social and cultural capital, and the reproduction of caste dominance.
The article organises newspaper cases into three qualitative clusters. The first concerns marriages between Dalit, Scheduled Caste (SC), Other Backward Class (OBC), or so-called lower-caste men and women from upper or locally dominant castes. The second covers marriages between men from upper or influential castes and Dalit, lower-caste or backward-caste women, including cases in which opposition emerged from an SC, OBC, Adivasi or otherwise marginalised caste group. The third addresses caste-based resistance at the stage of a romantic relationship or proposed marriage, before a marriage has taken place. Khap panchayats, caste panchayats, biradari organisations, social boycott and fines are examined as a separate analytical cluster. Drawing on Ambedkar's theory of caste annihilation, Bourdieu's concepts of social and cultural capital, and Gramsci's account of cultural hegemony, the article argues that inter-caste couples require state protection, social recognition, collective encouragement and active support from progressive organisations if inter-caste marriage is to contribute meaningfully to the annihilation of caste.},
        keywords = {endogamous marriage, inter-caste marriage, caste power, Brahmanical order, khap panchayat, social boycott, Ambedkar, social capital, cultural hegemony.},
        month = {July},
        }